The Impact of Alcohol and Marijuana on Mental Health

Hi! I am your Mental Health and much like rowing a boat, I need to stay afloat and head in the right direction. I help you manage your emotions, how you act with others, your mental state and well-being and your ability to cope with stress.

While I might not be a part of the brain and body like the rest of the Brain Power team, I work closely with various parts of the brain to impact how you think, feel, and act. These parts of your brain work together to impact different elements of your mental health. This is done by the prefrontal cortex, the decision-making part of the brain, and the limbic system which helps manage emotions.

Like rowing a boat with a team, each part of the brain, like the hypothalamus, hippocampus and amygdala, must work together to steer straight. When all parts are working together, they can help you calm down, take appropriate action and protect you in difficult situations. If one part of the brain isn’t working with the others, it can send you in the wrong direction towards the rocky shoreline or adrift at sea.

It is important to take care of your mental health. Finding healthy ways to cope with stress like going for a walk, talking with friends or something you might enjoy can be helpful in navigating rough waters. But remember, not every coping strategy is healthy. Some stress management strategies might seem helpful but can lead to larger problems later. This includes underage drinking and underage marijuana use, which is not only illegal but is harmful to your developing brain.

Keep steering your boat in the right direction by saying “YES” to a healthy lifestyle and “NO” to unhealthy coping strategies like underage drinking and underage marijuana use.

Take a look at my video to learn more and test your knowledge with this quick quiz! If you are struggling with your mental health or alcohol or substance use, please reach out to a trusted adult, school counselor or mental health professional.